I am an astronomer and education specialist at the Center for Science Education at UC Berkeley'sSpace Sciences Laboratory, where I work to educate and inspire others about the wonder and beauty of the Universe. I hail from Traverse City, Michigan where the dark sky enthralled me from a very early age and inspired me to study astronomy. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 with degrees in Astronomy, Physics, and Saxophone Performance. I continued my education at the University of California at Berkeley, where I researched the large scale flow of galaxies in the nearby Universe by measuring their distances. I received a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from UC Berkeley in 2002. My work in education and public outreach involves developing programs and content for the public through the web and museums, developing classroom materials for students in K-12 classrooms, and conducting professional development for science educators. I am bicultural, of Mexican and European backgrounds, and strive to foster diverse perspectives in my work.